OREANDA-NEWS. June 20, 2008. The Uzbek-Lithuanian intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation held a session in Tashkent on 19 June.

The forum was attended by representatives of various ministries and departments and companies of both countries operating in foreign economic relations, trade, fuel and energy sector, banking and finance, agriculture and water resources, foodstuffs, chemical and light industry, transport and communications, building materials, metallurgy, tourism, furniture industry and other sectors.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade of Uzbekistan, commission co-chairman A.Kamalov noted that the cooperation between the two countries had been expanding in all areas. The visit of the President Islam Karimov in September 2002 to the Republic of Lithuania created new opportunities for raising bilateral relations to a higher level.

Lithuania is one of the important partners of Uzbekistan. Cooperation between the two nations is developing intensively in many areas. Regular meetings of the economic cooperation commission shows that both sides are equally interested in strengthening economic relations. In 2007, the two countries’ mutual trade turnover amounted to USD 72.4 million.

Favorable investment climate and the ongoing process of privatization in Uzbekistan draws the attention of many foreign businessmen, in particular those of Lithuania. More than 20 joint ventures operate in Uzbekistan with participation of Lithuanian investors. They work in such fields as textile, agricultural products processing, building materials, footwear production, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and others.

Uzbekistan exports to Lithuania plastic products, petrochemical products, mechanical equipment, cotton, black metal and horticultural products. Imports from Lithuania include transport vehicles, dairy products and confectionery, sugar, chemical fiber, rubber, furniture, etc.